Michael Barrymore ‘gutted’ as he pulls out of Dancing on Ice

TV presenter Michael Barrymore has pulled out of Dancing on Ice after sustaining an injury.

There's just a few weeks to go until the new season kicks off. However, the 67-year-old was forced to withdraw from the competition after he was injured during rehearsals. "Shortly after shooting the Dancing On Ice Christmas Special I took a tumble whilst rehearsing for the January shows. After the fall, I thought I had sprained my wrist but it turns out that it is broken," he explained in a statement via The Mirror.  "Unfortunately, the medics have told me that I cannot compete. I am absolutely devastated; I have loved every second of the journey so far with my wonderful dance partner Alex Murphy and the support from the public has been overwhelming. "I have been fortunate enough to work with such a great bunch of people over the previous few months; trainers, celebrities, pro skaters, the judges, Holly and Phil and the incredible production team at ITV who really are exceptional and help to make it the fantastic show that it is." "Owing to an injury sustained in training, Michael Barrymore has had to withdraw from the competition," a Dancing on Ice spokesperson told the publication. "Michael has been a fantastic addition to the Dancing on Ice family and we wish him all the best. Presenter Radzi Chinyanganya will take his place, and will be partnered with professional skater Jessica Hatfield." Radzi said that while he felt "thrilled and privileged" to be part of Dancing On Ice's 2020 series, he was "gutted" for Barrymore. "I am thrilled and privileged to be part of the Dancing On Ice 2020 cast. I am absolutely gutted for Michael, who is one of my all-time favourite TV presenters, and I wish him a speedy recovery," he said in a statement of his own. "I've only got two weeks to get ready to ice skate in front of the nation so I'm looking forward to a Christmas and New Year filled with training on the ice!"